Comparison

VendElectric vs Roam

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VendElectric

Discover and use nearby electric vehicle charging stations without any subscriptions. Pay as you go for charging sessions and easily manage your payments and charging history.

Highlights
  • Pay-as-you-go EV charging
  • No membership or subscription needed
  • Map and list charge point views
  • Filter by public, private, and availability
  • Live charge session status
  • Charge session history
  • Favorite charge points
Features
Read full description

Quickly find an EV charge point close to where you are or on your route and start a charge effortlessly without the need to subscribe to a network. - PAYG EV charging with no membership or subscription required. - Map or list view to find your closest charge point - Filter between public, private and available charge points - Quick find search bar for point ID or location. - View a live status of your charge session and power rating. - Charge session history - Favourite your regular charge points - Wallet balance and easy top-up - Report faults and send feedback

About

Roam

Find and use electric vehicle charging stations on the go. This app helps you locate available chargers, manage payments, and track your charging history for a seamless EV ownership experience.

Highlights
  • Locate charging stations
  • Real-time availability
  • Seamless payments
  • Personalized charging plans
  • 24/7 support
Features
Read full description

Find EV charging stations, check live availability and manage every charge with the Roam EV Charging app. Whether you are planning ahead or need to charge nearby, the Roam app makes it easy to find an available EV charge point, start your session and stay in control from your phone. Find nearby EV chargers Explore the Roam EV charging network using the in-app map. Search by location, find nearby charging stations and identify a convenient charge point wherever your day takes you. Check live charger availability View the real-time status of Roam charge points before you arrive. Use the map filters to hide unavailable chargers and find a suitable EV charging station without an unnecessary detour. Start charging from your phone Once you arrive, select your charger in the Roam app and follow the simple steps to begin your charging session. The app brings everything together in one place, making electric car charging straightforward from the moment you plug in. Monitor your charging session Keep track of your active session directly through the app. View your energy use and charging costs in real time, receive useful session notifications and see when your electric vehicle is ready. Make secure payments Add and manage your preferred payment card within your Roam account. Charging payments are handled securely through the app, with the cost of each session recorded for easy reference. Track your charging history View your previous EV charging sessions, including where you charged, how much energy was delivered and what each session cost. Your charging activity is stored in one convenient place whenever you need it. Save with Roam Membership Regularly charge with Roam? Join Roam Membership through the app to access lower charging rates across the Roam network. Members can save up to 8p per kWh at eligible charge points for a small monthly membership fee. Manage your account Update your personal information, manage payment details and access your charging history from within the app. Your Roam account gives you one place to manage your electric vehicle charging. Get support when you need it If you need assistance with the app, your account or a charging session, Roam’s UK-based support team is available 24/7 to help get you back on your way. Download the Roam EV Charging app today to find EV charging stations, check charger availability, pay for charging and manage your sessions wherever you charge with Roam.

Screenshots

VendElectric4 screens
Roam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Roam at free against VendElectric's free with in-app purchases. Roam also leads on review sentiment (30% vs 6%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). VendElectric's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VendElectric ships an update every 2 months, Roam every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
VendElectric versus Roam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVendElectricRoam
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews6.5% of reviews30.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRolec Services LtdEV Chargers Ltd

Customer experience

VendElectric

Written reviews77 reviews
Positive6.5%
Neutral2.6%
Negative90.9%

Roam

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive30.2%
Neutral1.6%
Negative68.3%

User reviews

VendElectric

From App Store reviews

What we love

  • 👍 Worked perfectly (rare)
  • 👍 Refunded excess money (eventually)
  • 👍 Charged overnight (sometimes)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App doesn't work
  • 🐛 Chargers don't work
  • 🐛 Takes money, doesn't charge
  • 🐛 Poorly designed app
  • 🐛 Unresponsive support

Roam

From 3 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💰 Competitive pricing
  • 🗺️ User-friendly map feature
  • 🔌 Easy to use and charge
  • 🚀 Quick to start charge
  • 👍 Simple setup process

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes/stops working
  • ❌ Unable to access account
  • 🚫 Error messages on login
  • 📧 Password reset email not received
  • 😠 Customer service hard to reach

Bugs and requests

VendElectric

Reported bugs

43 issues
  • App hangs with blank screen
  • Charger shows unavailable when in use
  • App doesn't connect to charge
  • Money taken but not applied to balance
  • Charger offline in app
Show 38 more
  • Car stopped charging after partial charge
  • App signs out unexpectedly
  • Password reset not working
  • Buttons don't respond
  • No password reset email
  • Error after error
  • App freezes
  • App doesn't accept card details
  • App doesn't take Apple Pay
  • App shows charging from multiple stations incorrectly
  • App doesn't allow adding funds
  • App crashes repeatedly
  • App doesn't remember car details/favourites/payment
  • App doesn't allow guest registration
  • App fails to save preferences
  • App timer ticks down without delivering electricity
  • App doesn't allow cancelling charge without losing prepaid amount
  • App doesn't show live status of kWh added or battery %
  • App shows 'taking longer than expected' indefinitely
  • App shows phantom charge sessions
  • App doesn't remember password
  • App doesn't support Apple Pay/Google Pay
  • App requires personal details each time
  • App doesn't work for guest or registration
  • App makes it impossible to cancel a charge
  • App doesn't allow charging past 8 hours
  • App doesn't remember card details
  • App frequently fails to start charge
  • App is slow and clunky
  • App doesn't work with special characters in password
  • App doesn't allow anonymous charging
  • App doesn't support contactless payment
  • App doesn't allow charging anonymously
  • App doesn't allow guest use
  • App doesn't allow guest registration
  • App doesn't allow guest use
  • App doesn't allow guest use
  • App doesn't allow guest use

Requested features

13 requests
  • Replace current provider
  • Improve app design
  • Provide responsive customer support
  • Implement contactless payment
  • Support Apple Pay/Google Pay
Show 8 more
  • Allow anonymous charging
  • Improve error message clarity
  • Add live kWh status
  • Add billing history
  • Allow saving charger details
  • Improve password reset functionality
  • Integrate with Octopus Energy or Zapmap
  • Offer RFID card option

Roam

Reported bugs

25 issues
  • App blocks account access
  • Repeated login errors
  • Password reset emails not received
  • Holding payment twice
  • Failed to initiate charge
Show 20 more
  • Spinning circle on registration/confirmation
  • App completely stopped working
  • App just spins constantly
  • Unable to charge on Sundays
  • App just won't load
  • Charge button moved off screen
  • Entry fields invisible during registration
  • App doesn't work with smaller screens
  • Start charging button below navigation bar
  • App doesn't download or connect properly
  • App doesn't recognise charging point
  • App not showing chargers
  • App keeps logging out
  • Email not recognized for password reset
  • Wouldn't disconnect from charging point
  • Charger stopped working due to error
  • Charger not connected to car error
  • Charger faulty, not indicated
  • App broken after recent update
  • Can't open app before updating

Requested features

10 requests
  • Fix charge button placement
  • Add option to find other chargers nearby
  • Display charging cost on charger
  • Indicate charger type (kW)
  • Improve invoicing clarity
Show 5 more
  • Integrate with Zap Map
  • Allow payment of balance through app
  • Fix app not working on smaller screens
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve UX and reduce friction

In-app purchases

None

VendElectric

No in-app purchases

None

Roam

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VendElectric free?
VendElectric is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Roam free?
Roam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do VendElectric or Roam have ads?
Neither VendElectric nor Roam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VendElectric or Roam?
VendElectric ships an update every 2 months, and Roam every 3 weeks. Most recently, VendElectric was updated on October 25, 2026 and Roam on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons